The CoverUp

If you're going to have one hit on top of a prolific career, it's hard to do better. This week's song is unique and fascinating. I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) originally by The Proclaimers, covered by Alejandra Ribera. You know you want to sign along.  Outro music is (Don't Fear) The Reaper, by Blue Oyster Cult. 

A breakthrough moment in the history of Rock Steady puts us on a musical path that's both familiar and incredibly unfamiliar. A Message To You Rudy, originally by Dandy Livingstone, covered by The Specials, and by Skatune Network.  Outro music is Your Horoscope For Today, by Weird Al Yankovic, which lets us wrap the episode firmly back in Ska-Land. 

A listener request brings us one of the classic songs of Rock and Roll with the most unlikely origin story, and we get to call out a music recognition organization that isn't the Grammys. The Twist, originally by Hank Ballard and The Midnighters, covered by Chubby Checker.  Outro music is Back In The Saddle Again, by Gene Autry, though Zach's suggestion would have been right on as well. 

An early song that could have easily defined a band's career, but instead just gave us a glimpse of what was to come, and a cover by a great band that was out in the wilderness making some bad choices. My Generation, originally by The Who, covered by Iron Maiden.  Outro music is Roll Away The Stone, by Mott The Hoople. 

A song that reestablishes a seasoned and successful artist as a new kind of force, and a cover that embraces musical complexity in a brilliant but subtle way. Heaven Is A Place On Earth, originally by Belinda Carlisle, covered by The Mayries.  Outro music is I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me), by Whitney Houston, because this song is inevitable. 

Great lessons to learn from one of the all-time road songs, a cover that understands the assignment more than the song — oh, and Rich flubs his kids' birthdays, but that's OK, because we only recorded this on Father's Day. Life Is A Highway, originally by Tom Cochrane, covered by Rascal Flatts.  Outro music is Another One Rides The Bus by Weird Al Yankovic. 

A classic that somehow remains a secret, and a listener leads us to a great musical discovery. The Ghost In You originally by The Psychedelic Furs, covered by Robyn Hitchcock.  Outro music is Love My Way, also by the Furs. 

A listener prods us to dive into one of the great songs in American music, and in the process we flirt with musical diabetes. Lean On Me, originally by Bill Withers, covered by Club Nouveau.  Outro music is The Candy Man by Sammy Davis Jr. 

An impossibly compelling songs from one of the most important writers and performers in American music, and a great band tries something different. Dancing Barefoot, originally by the Patti Smith Group, covered by U2.  Outro music is Desire, also by U2. 

Absolute pop genius from a song that wasn't supposed to be pop at all, and a cover that's a terrible fit which helps to make it even more awesome. Call Me Maybe, originally by Carly Rae Jepsen, covered by Leo Moraccioli. Outro music is We Are Young, by Fun, just to remind you that the bar was high in 2012.

A brilliant debut single that defied genre, expectation, and the industry it was breaking into, and a cover that takes it a bit literally, but nails it anyway. Sultans of Swing, originally by Dire Straits, covered by Pink Turtle.  Outro music is Brothers in Arms, also by Dire Straits. 

A massively popular yet still underrated song by an incredibly talented yet still underrated artist, and a cover that takes on an impossible task and winds up still on their feet. Wrecking Ball, originally by Miley Cyrus, covered by Abandoning Sunday.  Outro music is Piece of My Heart by Janis Joplin. 

The song that brought K-Pop to the rest of the world in spectacular fashion, and a cover that's totally not punk, but really is underneath it all. Gangnam Style, originally by Psy, covered by The Cleverlys.  Outro music is Born To Be Chicken, by Korean bluegrass band Country Gongbang. 

It's an emotional week at CoverUp HQ. We dig into one of the most profound ways a songwriter had ever decided to say goodbye, and a tribute so moving it couldn't have hit harder. Keep Me In Your Heart, originally by Warren Zevon, covered by The Wailin' Jennys.  Outro music is Poor Poor Pitiful Me, also by Warren Zevon. 

The most lean-into-it power ballad you'll ever find that's always working hard at something, and a cool cover about making it work. Keep On Loving You, originally by REO Speedwagon, covered by Cigarettes After Sex.  Outro music is Lorelei, by the Cocteau Twins. 

We always knew music would save the world. This week, we take it a bit more literally as we tackle Golden, originally by Huntrix (yes, we know it's complicated), covered by Our Last Night.  For outro music, we check in with our boy Morten Harket for some vocal range on A-Ha's Take On Me.

A legendary musician opens up in a typical yet profound way, and a cover that revives a whole bunch of special things. Jealous Guy, originally by John Lennon, covered by Men Without Hats.  Outro music is I Love The 80s, also by Men Without Hats, from that same album, On The Moon. 

The defining song for an all-time-great band that defies definition, a cover that reimagines as hard as any cover has, and another that brings its own world to the song. Tom Sawyer, originally by Rush, covered by Emmerson Nogueira, and by The Lost Fingers.  Outro music is Owner of a Lonely Heart, another cover by Emmerson Nogueira. 

A song that crushes it across genres, styles, and settings by an artist who of course can pull of something of this scale. And a cover that gives it the old college try. 9 to 5, originally by Dolly Parton, covered by Home Free.  Outro music is The Job That Ate My Brain, by The Ramones. 

A song-of-the-summer redefines a band through a period of musical maturation, and puts a spotlight on the downfall of MTV. And a cover reveals hidden depths. Still Into You, originally by Paramore, covered by Lewis Capaldi. Outro music is the theme song from Dr. Who, because there's a Capaldi in this episode, and it may be our only chance to pull that tune out. 

A breakthrough mega hit that defied the odds and stood the test of time, and a band that might not have. Or maybe they did. Honestly, it's not obvious. Groove Is In The Heart, originally by Deee-Lite, covered by Blues Traveler.  Outro music is the theme song from Green Acres, sung by Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor. 

An influential band's signature song that found its place for multiple generations, and a cover by an artist who seems to look into our world through her own special lens. Rasputin, originally by Boney M, covered by AURORA.  Outro music is In The Dark Of The Night, which is Rasputin's villain song in Anastasia. Even better, it's sung for the film by Jim Cummings, who is also the voice of Winnie the Pooh. Take a moment to collect your thoughts. 

A modern and compelling take on protest songs that doesn't lean on outrage so much as "there but for the grace of God", and a cover by an artist who redefined what this kind of song can do in the world. Beautiful Strangers, originally by Kevin Morby, covered by Mavis Staples.  Outro music is I Ain't Got No Home In This World Anymore by Woody Guthrie. 

We look at one of the best songs from one of the best debut albums ever, and follow with a pair of covers that teach us a lot about how music works and what it really means in the world. Honestly, we didn't see this one coming. Baby Can I Hold You, originally by Tracy Chapman, covered by Luciano Pavarotti, and by Billy Ocean.  Outro music is The Ride of the Valkyries by Wagner, as performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. 

A song that defined a band, in spite of their many successful reinventions, and a cover by two unlikely artists — or at least ones we thought were unlikely. Sweet Emotion, originally by Aerosmith, covered by Leo Kottke and Mike Gordon.  Outro music is Jack Fig by Leo Kottke, because you need to hear what he's about. 

Lots of country music is sad stories. This is that, and there's a sad story under it, but it has way more at work than you might think — and it launched one of the most important careers in the history of country music. Delta Dawn, originally by Alex Harvey, covered by Tanya Tucker. Outro music is Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses by Kathy Mattea. 

The song that redefined out popular music shapes culture, and a cover that soothes your mind. Like A Prayer, originally by Madonna, covered by Sarah Menescal.  Outro music is Here Comes The Sun, also by Sarah Menescal. 

A song that hit its stride in a big way with online success by an artist who has a knack for that, and a cover that keeps the soul and impact of the song while still reinventing it. Anxiety, originally by Doechii, covered by Nova Twins.  Outro music is Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon. Or is that Kid Rock? No, we'd never do that to you. 

We wrap up 2025 with what may be our greatest ever listener request, the unlikeliest cover we've ever tackled, and a couple of brilliant songs. I'm Shipping Up To Boston, originally by The Dropkick Murphys, covered by The Wiggles. Outro music is She's A Rainbow, also by The Wiggles, and we couldn't be happier.

We sneak up on the end of 2025 with a tribute episode for someone who was a great talent and a musician's musician, and a cover that aces the hard job of doing the song justice. Play A Train Song, originally by Todd Snider, covered by Jason Isbell.  Outro music is Beer Run, also by Todd Snider. 

The foundations of modern American folk music, one of the biggest Canadian songs ever, and a possibly misplaced application of Christmas cheer. Seasons In The Sun, originally by The Kingston Trio, covered by Terry Jacks, and by Westlife. Outro music is M.T.A., also by The Kingston Trio, because we can't get enough of them — it's a family tradition. 

A perfectly executed song that utterly defines a genre — for good or ill — and a cover that takes a simple start and uses a lot of musical smarts to recontextualize it. All The Small Things, originally by Blink-182, covered by City Mouth.  We've used this outro music before, but it's time to restore the ear worm. The Bumblebee Tuna song by Mephiskapheles. 

A brilliant song that couldn't have been anything else with the level of talent behind it, and a cover that probably took its job a little too seriously. Tell Me Something Good, originally by Rufus, covered by Pink.  Outro music is Livin' On A Prayer by Bon Jovi, and you can totally hear that thing we talk about in the episode. It's unmistakeable. 

A huge hit at the start of a really complicated career, and a band who knows where to take their inspiration. Your Love Is My Drug, originally by Kesha, covered by Blusher.  Outro music is Sunday Bloody Sunday by U2.

One of the great folk songs of the modern era captures the spirit — and the historical record — of maritime tragedy, and the cover that knows it stuff as well as the original. The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald, originally by Gordon Lightfoot, covered by Simon Barr Sinister.  Outro music is the theme from Underdog, because how could it not be. 

The knives come out over whether we've found the perfect love song as we look at another classic episode. The Book Of Love, originally by The Magnetic Fields, covered by Peter Gabriel, and by Gavin James. Outro music is In Spite Of Ourselves, by John Prine with iris DeMent.

We revisit episode 53, with one of the most important songs in the history of rock and roll, an incredible original, a hugely successful but also problematic cover, and … well, a great artist who stepped outside of his comfort zone. Hound Dog, originally by Big Momma Thornton, covered by Elvis Presley, and by James Taylor. Newly added outro music is Ball 'n Chain, also by Big Momma Thornton.

Another archive episode revisited, with a classic song that's been covered countless times, and it just so happens that three of them are brilliant in their own way. People Get Ready, originally by The Impressions, covered by Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart, and by Alicia Keys. Outro music (newly added) is It's All Right, also by The Impressions. 

We pull a classic episode from the archives, back to episode 20, where we take a look at one of the most important bands in Hip Hop, and a cover that couldn't possibly work, but does. 911 Is A Joke, originally by Public Enemy, covered by Duran Duran.  Outro music (which is new to the episode) is Eve of Destruction, a rare cover by Public Enemy.

We pull a classic episode from the archives, one of our longtime favorites from episode 32. A musical theater classic and cover you'd never think to ask for, but once you know about it, you understand the treat you're in for. I Feel Pretty, originally by Marni Nixon, covered by Little Richard.  Outro music is Keep A Knockin', also by Little Richard. 

We pull a classic episode from the archives and dress it up for the modern incarnation of the show. And it's a doozie, with an unforgettable dance / hip-hop classic covered earnestly by one of the least hip-hop superstars still on the stage today. My Humps, originally by The Black Eyed Peas, covered by Alanis Morissette.  Outro music is new to this episode, and we've added King of Pain also by Alanis Morissette, from her MTV Unplugged show. It's super cool. 

A song from a band that shows their typically high concept, but also shares an unusual amount of heart, and a cover to bring us all together. Wish You Were Here, originally by Pink Floyd, covered by Elisapie.  Outro music is Wolf by First Aid Kit. 

A thoughtful and demanding musician brings you a cup of cocoa and a blanket to throw over your feet, and a cover that understands the assignment. Lay Lady Lay, originally by Bob Dylan, covered by Dave Stewart.  Outro music is Queen of New Orleans, by Jon Bon Jovi, but Dave Stewart co-wrote, played guitar, and produced it. 

The greatest band that never existed, but is somehow still touring, and a cover that's a tribute, a laugh, and a great show all at once. Big Bottom, originally by Spinal Tap, covered by Soundgarden.  Outro music is Starcrossed, by Lenny and the Squigtones. 

We decide to dive into a band that's a favorite for one of us, and see if we can find the daylight between our musical tastes. She's Kerosene, originally by The Interrupters, covered by Jake Clayton.  Outro music is By My Side, also by The Interrupters. 

One of the biggest songs of the 90s has a surprising origin with some very surprising originators. But we all know where this episode ends up. Torn, originally by Ednaswap, covered by Natalie Imbruglia.  Outro music is Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You (I Love You Baby) by Lauryn Hill, who was in the same grammy race we discuss in the show. It was a heck of a year, no doubt. 

We celebrate our 400th episode with a song we love. It's a standout for the original band in a number of fascinating ways, and has a cover that turns everything on its head to brilliant effect. Strange Currencies, originally by R.E.M., covered by Louisa Stancioff.  Rich got the name wrong during the episode, but the outro music is Rumble by Link Wray. He was probably overcome by the reverb. 

We hope this is the end of our run of tribute episodes as we remember a remarkable talent and exceptional musician. An exceptional ability for satire, an absurd but resolute sense of humor, and a mirthful approach to life which he imposed on the world around him. Poisoning Pigeons In The Park, originally by Tom Lehrer, covered by Roberta Alexander with David Triestram.  Outro music is The Masochism Tango, also by Tom Lehrer. Because he was generous enough to release all of his music into the public domain, we've included the entire song as the outro. It's a great one, and we think you should listen to the whole thing. 

We do a rare instrumental episode remembering an amazing musician who was the sound of a decade — everyone wanted this sound. Feels so good, originally by Chuck Mangione, covered by Alison Brown with Jake Shimabukuro.  Outro music is Give It All You Got, also by Chuck Mangione. 

We pay tribute to one of the greats of rock and metal, and find some surprising range from a former teen heartthrob. Crazy Train, originally by Ozzy Osbourne, covered by Pat Boone. Outro music is Mama I'm Coming Home, also by Ozzy Osbourne.